Christmas Bingo Patterns: 12 Holiday Shapes With Diagrams and a Caller Chart
Christmas bingo patterns are holiday shapes you mark on a 5x5 card instead of a plain straight line: a Christmas tree, a candy cane, a star, a present, a stocking. Below are 12 of them with diagrams and the number of squares each one needs, from a quick 7-square candy cane to a 25-square "Twelve Days" blackout. Print the chart, tape it next to the caller, and announce the shape before each round.
Patterns need a 5x5 card with a free center, so the button opens the generator with 30 Christmas words already set up that way. Choose the Red & Green holiday theme and print.
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12 Christmas bingo patterns with diagrams
Read each diagram like a bingo card. A filled square (■) must be marked, an empty one (□) doesn't matter, and the star (★) is the free center, which counts as marked whenever it's part of the shape.
| Pattern | Diagram | Squares to mark | How to win |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas tree | □□■□□ □■■■□ ■■★■■ □□■□□ □□■□□ | 11 | A triangle of branches with a two-square trunk. The classic December shape. |
| Candy cane | □■■□□ ■□□■□ □□□■□ □□□■□ □□□■□ | 7 | A hooked top and a straight stem down the card. The free center doesn't help here. |
| Star | □□■□□ ■■■■■ □■★■□ □■□■□ ■□□□■ | 13 | A five-point star with two legs reaching the bottom corners. |
| Present | □■□■□ ■■■■■ ■□★□■ ■□■□■ ■■■■■ | 18 | A square box with a ribbon down the middle and a two-loop bow on top. |
| Stocking | ■■■□□ ■■□□□ ■■★□□ ■■■■□ □■■■■ | 16 | A cuff at the top, a long leg and a toe pointing right. |
| Bell | □□■□□ □■■■□ □■★■□ ■■■■■ □□■□□ | 13 | A rounded bell with a wide rim and a clapper hanging below. |
| Wreath | □■■■□ ■□□□■ ■□□□■ ■□□□■ □■■■□ | 12 | A ring around the middle. The free center sits in the hole, so it doesn't count. |
| Snowflake | ■□■□■ □■■■□ ■■★■■ □■■■□ ■□■□■ | 17 | Both diagonals plus the middle row and column, so arms reach out in every direction like a snowflake. |
| Ornament | □□■□□ □■■■□ ■■★■■ □■■■□ □□□□□ | 12 | A round bauble hanging from a one-square hook. The bottom row is open. |
| Sleigh | ■□□□□ ■□□□■ ■■★■■ □■□■□ ■■■■■ | 15 | A high back, a curled front, two struts and a long runner along the bottom. |
| N for Noel | ■□□□■ ■■□□■ ■□★□■ ■□□■■ ■□□□■ | 13 | Two side columns joined by a diagonal from the top-left to the bottom-right. |
| Twelve Days blackout | ■■■■■ ■■■■■ ■■★■■ ■■■■■ ■■■■■ | 25 | Mark every square on the card. Save it for the last round and the best prize. |
The Christmas tree, candy cane and star match the shapes in our bingo patterns explained guide, so if your group already knows those, the other nine will feel familiar.
Which Christmas patterns are easiest and which take longest?
The more squares a pattern needs, the longer the round. Here's a rough guide on a 5x5 card with about 30 words in the list:
| Speed | Patterns | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Quick (7 to 12 squares) | Candy cane, Christmas tree, Wreath, Ornament | Warm-up rounds, young kids, short parties |
| Medium (13 to 16 squares) | Star, Bell, N for Noel, Sleigh, Stocking | The middle of the game |
| Long (17 squares or more) | Snowflake, Present, Twelve Days blackout | The last round, or the big prize |
Bigger shapes also need a longer word list. If you're planning a blackout, make sure your list has at least 30 words, or every card fills up at almost the same moment.
How to run a Christmas pattern game
- Print unique 5x5 cards with a free center. Use the button above so no two cards match.
- Print the pattern chart. Print this page's chart or copy it onto a whiteboard. The generator's Print winning patterns button also prints a sheet of the classic patterns (lines, corners, blackout) if you want both.
- Announce the shape before the first call. Hold up the diagram so everyone knows what they're aiming for. Changing the pattern mid-round only causes arguments.
- Call words and let players mark. Use the master call sheet or the built-in caller with auto-call.
- Check the winner against the diagram. Every filled square in the shape must be marked. Extra marks elsewhere are fine.
A full evening: the progressive Christmas pattern game
Here's a trick that stretches one set of cards into a whole party. Don't clear the cards between rounds. Play the patterns in order from small to big, and keep every mark.
- Candy cane
- Christmas tree
- Bell
- Star
- Present
- Twelve Days blackout
Because marks carry over, each round goes faster than it would on a fresh card, and the room gets more excited as cards fill up. Six rounds take about 45 minutes. It's especially handy for a big family gathering, where printing new cards for every round is a pain. The Christmas bingo for 30 relatives guide covers how many cards and prizes you'll need for a crowd.
Does the free space count in Christmas patterns?
Yes, whenever the free center is part of the shape. In the Christmas tree, star, present, stocking, bell, snowflake, ornament, sleigh and N for Noel, the center sits inside the shape, so it counts as one of your marked squares. In the candy cane and the wreath, the center is outside the shape, so it doesn't help you at all. The "squares to mark" number in the chart already includes the free center when it counts.
Tips for calling pattern bingo
- Name the pattern and show it. Saying "stocking" isn't enough. People picture stockings differently, so hold up the diagram.
- Use a longer list for bigger shapes. 30 to 40 words keeps big patterns from ending in a tie.
- Keep a "close but not quite" rule. If someone calls bingo with one square missing, they keep playing. No penalty, lots of laughs.
- Save the blackout for last. It takes the longest, so give it the best prize.
Want more ways to win beyond holiday shapes? Ways to win bingo lists every common pattern, and coverall bingo explains blackout rules in detail.
The Christmas word list behind the button
These are the 30 words loaded into the generator. Swap any of them for your own family's favorites before you print.
Christmas tree, Star, Candy cane, Present, Stocking, Bell, Wreath, Snowflake, Sleigh, Reindeer, Santa Claus, Elf, Ornament, Tinsel, Twinkle lights, Gingerbread house, Hot cocoa, Mittens, Snowman, Angel, Candle, Carols, Wrapping paper, Bow, Chimney, Cookies, North Pole, Fireplace, Pajamas, Jingle bells.
For a longer list with grown-up squares mixed in, the Christmas bingo cards page has more ideas.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are Christmas bingo patterns?
They're holiday shapes you mark on a 5x5 bingo card instead of a straight line, such as a Christmas tree, candy cane, star, present, stocking, bell or wreath. The caller announces the shape before each round.
How do you make a Christmas tree bingo pattern?
Mark the top middle square, three squares in the second row, the whole middle row and the middle square of the bottom two rows. That's 11 squares, including the free center.
What is the candy cane bingo pattern?
It's a hooked top across the first two rows with a straight stem running down the fourth column. It needs 7 squares and doesn't use the free center.
Which Christmas bingo game patterns are fastest?
The candy cane (7 squares), Christmas tree (11), wreath (12) and ornament (12) end fastest. The present (18) and the Twelve Days blackout (25) take the longest.
Does the free space count in Christmas bingo patterns?
Only when the center is part of the shape. It counts in the tree, star, bell, present and snowflake, but not in the candy cane or the wreath.
Can I print a Christmas bingo pattern sheet?
Yes. Print the pattern chart on this page and tape it by the caller. The generator's Print winning patterns button also prints a sheet of the classic line and blackout patterns.
